John Edwards' Problem Brother

Los Angeles Times ^ | September 29, 2004 | Dalton Conley

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Wesley Blake Edwards — better known as the kid brother of vice presidential nominee John Edwards — is scheduled to go on trial today in Colorado, answering 10-year-old charges of driving while intoxicated.

Wesley Edwards has been arrested on numerous occasions for driving drunk. He has skipped out of court appearances. So, while he finally faces the music, political junkies must be wondering: Is he Roger Clinton lite? Or perhaps the second coming of Billy Carter?

Democrats would probably like to sweep Wesley Edwards under the rug. They shouldn't, for two reasons: John Edwards' tribulations with his younger sibling only enhance his image as the only candidate with true "Joe Sixpack" roots. And, as John Edwards grapples with his brother's problems, we may actually learn something compelling about this man who wants to lead us.

Most American families, rich or poor, have some black sheep — a brother or sister or cousin — who causes immense pain to the rest of the family as relatives fret over whether to bail him or her out yet again. What humanizes John Edwards, though, is that his brother's situation particularly identifies him not with the elite but with the rest of us.

When a sheep goes astray in a working-class family, there are usually not enough money, time and connections to do much about it, especially when the family's efforts have already been expended on the star, say a John Edwards or a Bill Clinton.

[nmh]

Oh no ... another billEH Carter?

WOnder if he uriniates on walls after he's had too much to drink? Sounds like another classless family.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Oh, but nmh, this makes John Edwards one of the "little people." He can feel our pain.

[BradyLS]

Democrats would probably like to sweep Wesley Edwards under the rug. They shouldn't, for two reasons: John Edwards' tribulations with his younger sibling only enhance his image as the only candidate with true "Joe Sixpack" roots.

So "Joe Sixpack" is synonymous for repeat drunk-driving offender? This is supposed to be a representation of the average American male? These Kerry spinsters lost the Average American Male vote to Bush long ago.

[RichInOC]

A slick Southern lawyer with a screwed-up brother? Oh, Lord...this is where I came in.

[MEG33]

This article does it for me!..Edwards for President...;)

[Shellback Chuck]

Can't wait for my six-pack of Wesley beer.

[BunnySlippers]

Sad. There isn't a president (GW included) that doesn't have a wayward brother. Why is this news?

[martin_fierro]

Democrats would probably like to sweep Wesley Edwards under the rug. They shouldn't, for two reasons: John Edwards' tribulations with his younger sibling only enhance his image as the only candidate with true "Joe Sixpack" roots.

So if I have a younger sibling who's a screaming drunk, I can consider myself more like you?

I dunno, but I'd say you've all just been insulted. < |:/~

[MrMarbles]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Read the editorial - he uses this as a premise to slam Bush and praise Edwards.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[BunnySlippers]

Thanks. I will read.

[JoeSixPack1]

...John Edwards' tribulations with his younger sibling only enhance his image as the only candidate with true "Joe Sixpack" roots.

John Edwards would pay to have JSP roots. The guy is a black & white tv image of "Beaver with a Law degree" who fell in love with Wally, but married Lumpy..

Actually he's more like plain white "TOAST"! He could use a colorful sibling, the puke.
|{-)~~

[BunnySlippers]

Or take the case of the Kennedys: The family even went so far as to strong-arm the head of the Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles into backdating Ted Kennedy's driver's license renewal so that he would have been a legal driver when he drove Mary Jo Kopechne to her death at Chappaquiddick.

This is interesting. Anyone here of this license thing?

[GretchenM]

I'm dizzy from that latimes spin.

Quite a contrast to the President's brothers.

[To Know Me]

No Kerry didn't lose the average American male vote only the vote of the American male that relies on the televised media as his main source of news and information. Anybody who really knows whats going on in the world listens to AIR AMERICA RADIO. It's sad to say that the events and actions surrounding the relatives of a candidate do have an effect on the race for the highest seat in this nation. When we are supposed to be selecting the best possible candidate based on how he can move our nation forward in a critical time. It is obvious that that man is NOT Bush since he has outspent in one term what Bill Clinton spent in both of his terms in office and then some. This president is no conservative. Please review as much information as you can from both sides before making rash decisions based on what someones brother did.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It was news to me.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Oh, I have.